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Trump Says He Will Speak to Taiwan President, Prompting Panic in China

President Donald Trump told reporters that he would speak to Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te on Wednesday, downplaying the significance of such a conversation by adding, “I speak to everybody.”

Trump’s comment follows a visit to communist China just a week ago in which he claimed to have a positive personal relationship with genocidal dictator Xi Jinping. While the Chinese government attempted to describe Taiwan as an issue of significance in their conversations, the White House’s descriptions of the visit suggest that topics such as economic cooperation, the ongoing war with Iran, and Chinese students in American universities took priority over Taiwan.

Taiwan, formally the Republic of China, is a sovereign, democratic state off the coast of communist China. The Chinese government falsely claims Taiwan as a “province” that belongs under Beijing’s rule, disparaging its legitimate government as a rogue “separatist” entity. As a result of China’s outsized geopolitical leverage, Taiwan is routinely excluded from basic activities of normal states, such as participation in the United Nations or bilateral negotiations with almost all of the world’s countries, including America.

America’s recognition of China means that the United States does not technically recognize Taiwan as a country, a policy established by leftist former President Jimmy Carter in 1979. While Washington does sell weapons to Taiwan, no president has ever held a conversation with a Taiwanese president since Carter’s policy went into effect. The closest contact between a Taiwanese and an American leader occurred in 2016, when then-President Tsai Ing-wen held a phone conversation with President Trump, who at the time had yet to be inaugurated into the presidency.

Trump suggested on Wednesday that he could soon hold a conversation with Lai, Tsai’s successor, but offered no details.

“I’ll speak to him,” he said when asked while preparing to board Air Force One. “I speak to everybody… We’ll work ⁠on that, the Taiwan problem.”

Reuters cited a “person familiar” with the situation on Wednesday who said that no concrete plans for such a conversation had been formalized yet.

Lai issued a speech in Taipei on Wednesday defending the existence of his country and rejecting any foreign interference, first and foremost from China.

“Taiwan’s future cannot be decided by forces outside our borders, nor can it be held hostage by fear, division, or short-term gain. Taiwan’s future must be determined together by our 23 million people,” he said, according to the Taipei Times. “True peace can only be secured through strength.”

Lai was asked what he would say to Trump if he had the opportunity to speak to him.

“My government is committed to maintaining the status quo, and Taiwan is also a guardian of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” he responded. “Second, China is the one undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”

The Taipei Times observed that Trump last year approved $11 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, a record high sum that indicated high support for the country. Trump has since suggested that any future sales to Taiwan would depend on America’s relationship with both Taipei and Beijing. He noted that he has yet to approve pending weapons sales to the country, telling Fox News, “I’m holding that in abeyance, and it depends on China. It depends. It’s a very good negotiating chip for us, frankly.”

“I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down,” Trump added.

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DOJ Indicts 15 In Sweeping Crackdown On Somali Fraud

Federal prosecutors unveiled sweeping new charges Thursday against 15 defendants in Minnesota, accusing them of looting more than $90 million from taxpayer-funded Medicaid programs in what officials described as a massive new chapter in the state’s sprawling Somali fraud scandal.

The Department of Justice announced the cases during a press conference led by Colin McDonald, assistant attorney general for the DOJ’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, just hours after Feeding Our Future figure Aimee Bock was sentenced to more than 41 years in prison for her role in a separate $250 million pandemic fraud scheme that rocked Minnesota.

Many of the defendants charged in the latest cases are Somali or Somali-American, according to charging documents and court records tied to the investigation.

Federal officials signaled the new indictments are part of a much broader push to crack down on what prosecutors say has become systemic fraud across multiple Minnesota public assistance programs.

“Let me be clear upfront about something: This is not the end of our work in Minnesota,” McDonald said. “This is the beginning of our work in Minnesota. The fraud here in Minnesota is shocking.”

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Former Jeffrey Epstein assistant tells House Oversight Committee he abused her for years

Sarah Kellen, a longtime personal assistant to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, told the House Oversight Committee on Thursday that she was “sexually and psychologically abused” by the late financier for over a decade, according to a copy of her prepared opening statement obtained by ABC News.

“He groomed me, sexually and psychologically abused me, controlled me, manipulated me, dominated me, and gaslit me, until I could no longer tell which thoughts were mine, and which were his,” the statement said.

The closed-door session was part of the panel’s ongoing inquiry into the federal government’s handling of investigations into the late sex offender.

Kellen, 47, was previously a subject of criminal investigations but has never been charged — due, in part, to her own allegations of persistent sexual abuse at the hands of the disgraced financier, according to court documents and records released earlier this year by the Justice Department.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., speaking to reporters during a break, said, “I believe she was a victim now.”

“I would yield to other members of the committee, especially the female members, and let them give you, their opinion,” Comer said. “But she was very helpful today, and very believable, very intelligent. You know — terrible story to get there, and she was 21 when she was first began being abused by Epstein.”

Calling Kellen’s appearance “the most substantive, productive interview that we’ve had,” Comer said that Kellen had given the committee “three names of people that were involved in abuse.”

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“DOUBLE DIPPING?” — Jim Jordan Demands Answers After Explosive Claim January 6 “Human Sources” May Have Been Paid by BOTH Biden DOJ and SPLC

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan just dropped another political bombshell tied to January 6.

During a fiery interview Thursday, Jordan revealed that congressional investigators are now probing whether confidential human sources operating around January 6 may have been receiving money not only from the Biden Justice Department, but also from the far-left Southern Poverty Law Center.

In other words: federally connected informants potentially “double dipping” while infiltrating groups tied to January 6.

Jordan made the remarks while discussing a new subpoena issued by the House Judiciary Committee as Republicans intensify their investigation into the SPLC and its alleged network of paid “field sources.”

Rep. Jordan: “Here’s a key question I have too. Were any of the guys they were paying— was the Biden Justice Department paying these same guys confidential human sources? We know 26 confidential human sources were at the Capitol on January 6th. 4 went in the Capitol. They weren’t authorized to do so. I want to know if any of these guys were double dipping and taking money from the government and from the Southern Poverty Law Center. That’s one of the things we want to find out. That would be another new chapter if true and if proven.”

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Canadian ‘anti-hate’ group targeting Christians runs out of federal funding

A Canadian so-called “anti-hate network” is allegedly out of federal funding for the first time in six years, following complaints by pro-life MPs and groups that it exhibited anti-Catholic bias and spread “polarization.”

As noted by Blacklock’s Reporter, the activist group known as the Canadian Anti-Hate Network (CAHN) is out of grants from Canada’s Heritage Department, following multiple complaints of “bias and anti-Catholic messages,” which say that it was “spurring greater polarization.”

According to Access To Information records, CAHN, which gets hundreds of thousands in taxpayer funding each year, saw its funding cut after it was questioned by MPs, notably, pro-life Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) Rachael Thomas, about its bias in going after Catholics.

“We have an active multi-year agreement where the three years have been paid so far, leaving only a small amount still on hold pending final reports. Allegations are about spreading hate regarding religion and beliefs and further polarization,” reads a Heritage Department memo from 2025.

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30 people arrested per day ‘for WORD CRIMES’: Journalist BANNED from the UK exposes dystopian agenda

A few years ago, journalist Ezra Levant received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for defending freedom of expression after refusing to “bend the knee” and publishing Danish cartoons of Muhammad.

Now, the prime minister of the United Kingdom has banned him from the country.

“To have the prime minister of the United Kingdom ban me, a journalist … I’ve never done anything illegal in my life. I’ve never even had a parking ticket in the U.K. When I go there, it’s to do journalism,” Levant tells Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck.

“Glenn, your radio and you would be shut down within a week; I’m sorry to say it,” he continues. “Your First Amendment in America is more important than almost anything else, because with that, you can fight for all your other freedoms. Never give up your First Amendment.”

While everyone assumes other Western countries have the same First Amendment rights, Levant explains that they’re different.

“In the United Kingdom, according to the Times of London, a very prestigious newspaper, on any given day, on average, 30 people are arrested for what they post on social media. 30 a day. I’m not a fan of Russia, but even they don’t arrest 30 people a day for word crimes,” Levant says.

And the government doesn’t go after those who are actually harming others.

“They’re targeting people who criticize the government, especially on the issue of mass immigration. And the number-one thing that they’re scared about talking about is the rape gangs of largely Pakistani Muslim men targeting white girls,” Levant explains.

“When people have a march or a rally against these rapes, the government goes into freakout mode because it challenges the entire multiculturalism and immigration structure of the U.K.,” he says.

“So,” he continues, “never give up your free speech, Glenn, because you can see it in real time in the U.K.”

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Wildlife & Landmines: The Lasting Legacy of Passive Weapons

Horrifically deadly and widely implemented on a global scale, landmines continue to speckle the landscape of current and past battlefields. And while effective in a passive sense, the hardware planted beneath the soil persists long after the inevitable conclusion of war. Innocents and combatants who survive the barrage of bullets and bombs are left with a sadistic game of whack-a-mole – including the wild and domesticated animals.

Rudimentary explosives first appeared in China as early as the Song Dynasty. Continued development eventually gave rise to the modern pressure-activated landmine, which appeared on the battlefields of the American Civil War. Seen as a cowardly method of waging war at the time, the improvised explosive devices continued to gain popularity.

Since the Vietnam War, many variants of mines have been concocted and deployed in the field. This includes the proliferation of anti-personnel and anti-vehicle explosives. For the purposes of this piece, we will focus on anti-personnel mines due to their sensitivity and tendency to detonate with less pressure applied.

​The production, transfer, and use of anti-personnel landmines have been greatly reduced, notably following the signing of the 1997 Ottawa Treaty, which specifically addresses the use of mines, foreign and domestic. Many nations agreed to the treaty, though it excludes the signatures of China, Russia, and the U.S.

​However, mines continue to be used in modern theaters of war, and the historic placement of mines predates 1997, meaning an unknown number of AP mines patiently wait across the planet for a specific amount of pressure to be applied. And these explosives do not discriminate – hoof or foot, they are ready to go.

​Post-conflict wildlife interactions with landmines have largely remained unstudied, but specific negative interactions have been documented. Famously, in the case of “Mosha,” the Thai elephant that stepped on a mine following their use during a conflict between Myanmar and Thailand. The mine blew half of her front leg off while walking through the jungle on the border of the two nations. Mosha found refuge at a Thai sanctuary, where a prosthetic leg was built for her.

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‘Trump House’ owner’s wife gives horrifying update after attack on husband outside San Diego home

The wife of the elderly San Diego man brutally beaten outside his MAGA-inspired “Trump House” said there’s “no hope” for her husband after the vicious attack left him fighting for his life.

Kerry Sheron, 69, was in critical condition following the violent assault outside his Escondido property on Wednesday afternoon.

His wife, Maria, revealed to The California Post through tears that her husband isn’t expected to survive.

The alleged assailant, 32-year-old Escondido resident Thomas Caleb Butler, was arrested on attempted murder charges and faces life in prison if convicted.

Sheron, who describes himself as a Army veteran, is known for adorning his Buchanan Street home with Trump flags and other pro-American regalia.

In a March video, he showed Trump and American flag displays outside his property in tatters after apparent vandalism.

“Somebody decided that our stuff is not good. Incredible, look at this. They even ripped up the American flag, how f–ked up is that,” he said.

Maria told the Post she believes her husband was targeted over the displays.

After the attack, Butler fled the scene on foot before officers nabbed nearby and took him into custody.

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Revealed: One of the Austin Shooting Spree Suspects is an Illegal with an ICE Hold

The Gateway Pundit reported that over the weekend, residents in the Austin, Texas area were asked to shelter in place amid reports of multiple shootings.

The Austin Police Department says at least three suspects were involved in as many as 12 shootings since Saturday.

Two of the shootings were at fire stations in South Austin.

At least four people were reported injured.

Police announced that 17-year-old Cristian Mondragon has been charged with six felonies, with more charges possible, including: Two counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle; Two counts of aggravated assault with a motor vehicle; Theft of firearms; Evading arrest with a motor vehicle.

The two other suspects are minors and will be processed through a different judicial system.

While in court, prosecutors noted that Mondragon is not a U.S. citizen and currently has an ICE hold.

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Hey Guys! Did You Know It’s Racist to Have to Go to School in Your Own School District?

What happens when you give leftists everything they want? That’s a trick question. They never get everything they want, because if you give them everything they say they want, they’ll always come up with something more to want. They are never satisfied. I think the word “greed” applies here.

Case in point: let’s go to one of the bluest states in the nation and check in on a lawsuit that alleges racism in the way school district borders impact minority students. While the issue at the center of the Massachusetts case is pretty simple, the framing of it all will likely get complex.

A group of minor children are suing the Massachusetts Department of Education, the Massachusetts Board of Education, and several educational leaders in state government. Since the kids are too young to even comprehend why they are suing the state, their “next friends” are signed onto the complaint. Typically, in legal terms, if you’re a minor your “next friend” could be your parent or someone else with certain guardianship responsibilities.

See what I mean? The left is already making it complicated, and I haven’t even told you what this is all about yet.

So, let’s get to that. These kids are suing the state because their lawyers maintain they are being denied a better education because of where they live. Most, if not all, of them live within the boundaries of the Boston Public Schools district. But they’re not asking to be given the opportunity to go to another school within their district. They’re not asking for more money, resources, or staffing for their own school district.

Instead, they want to be able to go outside of their school district into the better neighboring school districts in the suburbs. They want to essentially erase the geographic borders that separate the city from the suburbs.

It’s as simple as that. If I’m that eight-year-old minority child in the Boston Public Schools district who is a party to this lawsuit, I don’t want to go to school where I live in the city. I want to go to school where you live if you live in the suburbs. And if I don’t get what the adults in my life tell me that I want, then you’re a racist.

That’s about as simple as this will get.

Now, for some much-needed background. The operating budget for Boston Public Schools in this current year is roughly $1.6 billion. This is spent to educate more than 50,000 students, which translates into about $31,000 spent on each student each year. This cost is comparable to sending your kid to a private school and paying $31,000 per year in tuition. Only in this case, you’re not footing the bill; the Boston taxpayers are.

So, what does that mean to academic performance?

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